Chandler didn’t like or approve of the next instruction but gave it anyway. ‘And remind them to say nothing to the press. This is hush-hush, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Snapchat.’ Chandler listed them off like he knew what he was talking about even if it was only what he had picked up from his daughter. He was stuck, with nothing to do but wait for news to filter through or backup to arrive. His conscience squirmed at withholding this secret from everyone in town but he had to grudgingly admit that Mitch might have been right. They didn’t need a general panic right now.

With no idea when he would get to see Sarah and Jasper again he called his parents. As ever, Jasper was first to the phone.

‘Hello?’ he chirped, full of enthusiasm. Chandler’s youngest possessed an inquisitive nature or internal voice that insisted he poke his fingers into things he shouldn’t or take things apart and leave them in a scattered mess for others to rebuild.

‘It’s me, Jasper.’

‘Daddy!’

The boy practically screamed into the receiver.

‘Yes, it’s Daddy. What are you up to? Is everyone in the house?’

I’m just checking, he assured himself; he wasn’t providing any forewarning, just confirming where they were.

‘Umm, yes, Grandpa and Nanna are watching TV and Sarah’s in her room.’

‘Very good. Why don’t you ask Grandpa to put a video on for you?’

That would keep them both inside and out of trouble.

‘But you said that it’s not good to be in the house all day.’

‘I know but sometimes it is okay. Now go get Sarah for Daddy.’

The receiver clacked. His son had dropped it and left it to hang. He glanced at the front desk. Nick was talking to dispatch, putting out Gabriel’s description.

‘Yeah?’ The voice was irritable, the complete antithesis to her brother. Sarah wanted nothing more than to get back to her iPhone. He had tried to wean her off the addiction but given the amount of time he spent at work it had proven impossible, engrossed as she was with everything from Angry Birds to Candy Crush, to well, any game where animals were shot in and around obstacles. He’d tried one of them once. He didn’t get the appeal.

‘It’s nice to hear your voice too,’ said Chandler.

‘Yeah, Dad, I’ve got things to do.’

‘How was rehearsal for First Confession today?’

It was the only thing other than her phone that she was excited about. The chance to show off in front of her friends.

‘Yeah. There’s a final rehearsal to go but we won’t be wearing our dresses. They don’t use the right words either but I’ve been talking to Nic and Amy and they—’

‘Have you asked your brother to help?’